totes magotes.

Happy Thursday :) Yesterday, I went shopping with my bff {kr} who is in town from DC! We had one mission: to find the perfect bag for grad school and work. {kr} wanted to invest in something which would last longer than a season--with a little flair. She nabbed a fantastic deal at the Kate Spade outlet and brought this gorg bag home for less than $150! I decided to channel our bag hunting into today's post--and found five bags at a few different price points below...

Is the $500 bag from Mulberry worth the extra pennies? I'll leave that up to you! What we learned yesterday is that a little sleuthing goes a long way. Spend some time identifying what you need the bag to carry--and bring it with you or read the reviews online. When you find something you love, you won't hate carrying it when you head out for happy hour. If there's one thing I've learned in my quest to spend selectively, it is to identify the things which will make me happier on a daily basis...and save to get them!

I definitely need to get a bag like this for Fall! I bought a cheap one at the beginning of Summer and I'm already regretting it. I love the first 3 options - they're all adorable, practical, and not ridiculously expensive!

i find work/school bag shopping to be so frustrating! it needs to look nice enough for work, but also something you don't worry about getting wet, putting on the ground, etc... i went through a gazillion option when i started grad school and finally settled on boulevard friday bag with my initials and i actually get compliments on it all the time...and it still looks great two years later! they are similar to the longchamp but much less ubiquitous, which was important to me!

I've had my Longchamp for years and I love it, but it's time for something a bit more grown up! But I have my eye on the Mulberry Bayswater, which at $1100 is going to take even more time to save up for...

So I'm {kr}, the one who solicited {av} to help me with this task. I'm a grad student on a tight budget, but was starting to H-A-T-E having things break on me just because I thought buying cheap was what I should do. I thought about a Longchamp but they're just not "me" style-wise, so I wanted something with a little more urban flare. We hit the outlets and {av} helped me identify something that was sturdy and timeless - things I'm not always good at figuring out. The fabric was huge - I wear things into the ground so wanted something I could clean and that would stay looking new and fresh. Also wanted something I could take to a bar after school and not feel like I was weighed down, even if I'm carrying my massive '07 laptop....this was perfect. Turns out Kate Spade also has a 2 year warranty if you keep the receipt, so no matter what I do to this thing I'm set til 2014!

OMG i read the title and burst out laughing! Me and my brother always say totes magotes! Plus I work in a warehouse where we pack tote boxes and I always say it to my coworkers and get strange looks. Love it :) Best reference.I'm dreaming of a Longchamp Tote but I don't think it's going to happen for awhile!

Holy cow...no the $500 bag look exactly the same as the cheaper ones....it better come with extra goodies inside for that price hahaha. I need a nice computer bag or case for my new macbook pro, so thanks for ideas :)

This is a great post! I am constantly on the hunt for the best work bag because I have to lug my computer and files around all day long. I've gone through so many over the past few years, and am always looking for something better! Appreciate the post!

I absolutely adore my O.M.G. Bag by www.loansdsons.com!!! (ps I don't work for them, I swear. This is a completely honest review). Two of my friends have also purchased the same bag after checking mine out :)

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